After the Memorial Day rush, finding crickets and worms at your local bait shop can be difficult, as many were sold out during the holiday. Call ahead to see if the bait shop by the lake has what you’re looking for. If they’re out, you can always find a few worms and grubs to provide a quick fishing trip in your yard. Look for piles of leaves that you may have overlooked when raking in the fall and flip them over. Also pick up a few bricks or stones at the borders of flowerbeds. Earthworms often take up residence under these damp areas. If that doesn’t produce some live bait, you can try your hand at fishing with small jigs and popping bugs for bream now that they are in the shallows.

West-Central Arkansas

Lake Dardanelle — Chuck Morrison at Classic Catch Guide Service (479-774-9117) said water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Upriver, bass can be taken on jigs, lizards, frogs, buzzbaits and crankbaits in the back water and main river near wood. White bass and stripers have been caught on tailspinners and white hair jigs. Crappie are slow, but some larger fish have been caught on minnows in 5 feet of water. In the mid-section of the river, bass can be taken on stick worms, frogs, buzzbaits and jigs in creeks and main river points. White bass and crappie are being taken in the creeks on jigs, tailspinners and small Rat-L-Traps. In the lower section of the lake, bass can be taken on jigs, frogs, buzzbaits, crankbaits, swim baits and stick worms on riprap, brush piles and new vegetation. White bass and stripers can be taken with small Rat-L-Traps on tailspinners and jerk baits fished near current. Catfishing is good from dam to dam on liver, cut shad and redworms.

Blue Mountain Lake is now full and lake can be accessed at all concrete ramps. Things should start picking up with the warm weather. Many new fish attractors were placed during the drawdown, so it’s a great time to get out and motor around the lake marking new spots on the GPS.

Harris Brake Lake — Harris Brake Lakeside Resort (501-889-2745) said the water is high with 2 feet of visibility. The surface water temperature is 72 degrees. Bream are excellent on worms and crickets. Crappie are biting well on jigs. Bass are fair on spinnerbaits and soft-plastic worms. Catfishing is excellent on live and prepared bait.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are good on minnows and Slab Slay’rs and Stroll’rs in white /salt and pepper, red/chartreuse shad, bone white, Cajun cricket, pink cotton candy, barbecue chicken and blue/white with a green or yellow PowerBait Crappie Nibble. Catfish are good in deep water on minnows, worms, stink bait and chicken/ turkey /rabbit livers. Bass are biting well on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes. Bream are biting well on nightcrawlers, redworms, meal worms, crickets and rock hoppers. Redear are biting on redworms fished near the bottom.

Lake Overcup — Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is at normal level and clear. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. Bass are biting well on spinners and plastic worms. Catfish are fair on trotlines and noodles using cut shad and live bream. Crappie are slow, but some are being picked up in deep water using Stinger Shads and minnows.

Brewer Lake — Overcup Landing (501-354-9007) said the water is a little high and clear. Bass are good on spinners and buzzbaits around the bank. Bream are biting well on crickets and redworms. Catfish are fair on limb lines and noodles using bass minnows and live bream. Crappie are being caught over brush piles on white and white/chartreuse Crappie Stingers.

Whiskers Sporting Goods in Perryville (501-889-2011) said crappie are good on minnows, Baby Shad, Stroll’rs and Slab Slay’rs in white/salt-and-pepper, red/chartreuse, bone white, barbecue chicken and blue/white tipped with a green or yellow PowerBait Crappie Nibble. Bream are in deep water and are biting on nightcrawlers, redworms, mealworms, crickets and rock hoppers. Bass are fair on tequila sunrise and dark-colored worms, spinnerbaits, Rooster Tails and Flukes.

Arkansas River at Morrilton — Charley’s Hidden Harbor at Oppelo had no report this week.

Arkansas and White river levels are available at: water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=lzk

For real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas from the U.S. Geological Survey, visit: waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/rt

For water quality statistics (including temperature) in many Arkansas streams and lakes, visit: waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/current/?type=quality

For Family and Community Fishing Program: Trout have been stocked in all Family and Community Fishing Program ponds. They will hit a variety of lures, including Power Bait, frozen shrimp, nightcrawlers and small jigs and spinners.

Clickwww.agfc.com/fishing/Pages/FishingProgramsFCF.aspx for a list of program ponds and up-to-date stocking information.